Radio dial



Dec. 9, 1924 l 1,518,473 Y H. 1'.4 wHALER RADIO DIAL Filed March 30, 1925 ,1.1.1.1. Il* lll/ll,

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HER-BERT T. WHALER, 011 MIAMI, FLO'RID4 RADIG DIAL.

Application filed March 30, 1923. Serial No. 628,527.

spindle of the rheostat, tickler coil, con-v denser, variometer or coupler of a radio receiving set, or in connection with the rotatable adjustment of any other spindle where extreme precision, as well adjustment is desirable.

The general object of the invention is to provide means for eii'ecting adjustments of great precision which is releasable in order to permit a rough adjustment through a wide angle to be quickly made.

With this object in view, the invention includes a relatively fixed disk that is secured to the panel through which the rotatable as a wide range of lspindle projects, which disk is provided with a recess in which operates a dial secured to the spindle ofthe instrument and having a peripheral worm gearing, a portion of the disk adjacent the periphery o the dial being cutaway and having a journal block pivoted therein, inv which is journaled a worm adapted to mesh with the peripheral teeth of the dial to efect accurate adjustments of -small range, said worm being yieldably held so as to. be readily -disengageable when a different adustment through a wide angle is desired.

. he structural ldetails of the invention I will be best understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyin drawing, which illustrates the pre erred orm-of the invention. l

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved dial showing-a portion of the panel in front of whichthe'dial is mounted. j

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken parallelto the face of the panel.

Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3 3 of Fig: l. F ig. A4 is asection `on the. line 4-4 of i 2. i

i 5 is adetail sectional view showing the block in which the worm is-journaled. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the means for disconnecting the worm gearing.

7 is a detail perspective view of the worm and its bearing.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective viewi of the cam plate for disconnecting the Yworin gearing. j

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 designates the panel of a radio receiving set or other instrument, in 'connection with which the invention may be used, and 14 designates a spindle which is connected to the mechanism to be adjusted. ,In carrying out the invention, a disk 11 is secured to the front face of the panel in spaced relation thereto,y

this disk having a peripheral iiange 12 forming a clrcular recess which is adapted to receive a dial 13 that lrotates with the spindle 14 and provides means angular position thereof.

The means for connecting the dial 13 with the spindle 14 includes a sleeve lsecured to the spindle 14 by a set screw 16 or the like, and having a threaded outer portion' which is threaded into a central opening through the dial 13. A circular concave resilient plate 17 is secured to the sleeve 15 and engages in a circular shouldered recess 18 in the bot-tom of the disk 12 to provide suliicient friction to retain the dial 13 and spindle 14 against accidental movement, and the tension of the plate 17 may be adjusted by turning the dial on the threaded end of the sleeve 15. After the proper adjustment of. the tension plate has been secured, the dial may. belocked to the spindle by the knob 19 which is threaded to the sleeve 15 and acts as a lock-nut. After the dial has been secured in proper position on the sleeve, and the latter secured to the spindle by means of the set Screw 16, the whole assembly is firmly secured together by a screw 20 that is driven through the end of the knob 19 and into the internally threaded end of the spindle 14.

For the purpose of effecting the finer adjustments of the spindle, the dial is provided With a peripheral groove in which is formed a series of concave worm gear teeth 21 adapted to mesh with and be driven by a worm drive 22 whicheis iournaled in al bearing block 23. The side of the disk 12 is formed with a recess 24 adjacent one side of the dial, within which the journal block 23 is ivoted at one end, as shown at. 25, whereliy the block is permitted to swing outwardly as indicated by dotted lines in for" measuring the Figs. 2 and 6, to permit the `worm drive A' l normal positionof engagement. The spring .i precision may be eiiected.

27 extends substantially at right angles to the worm spindle and is housed 4wthin'the flange 12 or' the disk 11, and has its inner lend embedded therein as shown at 28. The extremity of the worm spindle is provided with a knob 29 by means of which it may be easily moved manually to effect the tiner adjustments.

The journal block 23 is also provided with a laterally-projecting pin 30, a notch 31 be- .ing cut in the edge of the disk 11, as shown in Fig. 6, for permitting the inward movement of the journal block to permit the engagement of the worm gearing. A .cam plate 32 is pivotally mounted at 33 on the inner surface of the disk 11,., and 1s provided With an outer inclined cam edge 35, which, as the plate is swung about its pivet, engages the under side of pin 30 to raise the Worm out of engagement with the gear teeth 2l. The outer end of the plate- 32 is provided with an arc'uate edge 36 which, as i the plate approaches the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, rides underneath the pin 30 and locks the gearing in its disengaged position. -A wing 37 is formed on the other end of plate 32 to limit the inward movement thereof, and also to provide convenient means for obtaining hold of the same to release the `worm and permit it to re-engarre the teeth 21.

The iai 13 is provided with the usual graduations 38, and the adjacent surface of the flange 12 is provided with a series ot graduations 39 having similar maior subivisions, but with the minor sub-divisions bearing avernier relation to the graduations 38, whereby adjustments of the greatest I While I have described the invent-ion particularly with reference to a radio-receiving set, it will be apparent that the principles of the invention may be used in connection -with other instruments wherever adjustof-what 1s claimed` without departing from' the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. In an instrument having a panel and a projecting spindle mounted for rotaryl adrintegra justmenh'the combination of a disk having a cylindrical recess 1n its outer face, means for securing the disk to the panel with the 'spindle projecting centrally therethrough, a'

dial adapted to be secured to the spindle to rotate in said recess, said ldial havin peripheral worm gear teeth, a bearing lock pivotally mounted Within the rim of said disk, a spindle j'ournaled in the bearing block and having a driving Worm yieldably held in engagement with said worm gear teeth for e'ecting fine adjustment of the dial, and a knob for effecting rough adjustment thereof when. the worm gear is disconnected.

2. In an instrument having a panel and a projecting spindle mounted for rotary adjustment, the combination of a disk having a cylindrical recess in its outer face, means for securing the disk to the panel,'with the spindle projecting centrally therethrough, a dial adapted to be secured to the spindle to rotate in said recess, said dial havin peripheral worm gear teeth, aabearing il pivotally mounted within ithe rim of said disk, a spindle j'ournaledl in the bearing block and having a driving worm engageable with the worm ear teeth, a coiled sprin housed within' t e disk substantially at rig t angles tothe worm spindle and normally holding the worm gear in engagement for eiecting tine adjustment of the dial, and a knob secured to the'l outer end of the spindle for edecting rou" h adjustment thereof when the Worm gear is disconnected.

3. In an instrument having a panel and a rojecting spindle mounted for rotary adjustment, the combination of a disk having a cylindrical recess in its outer face, means for securin the disk to the panel with the spindle projecting centrally therethrou h, a dial adapted to be secured to the spinde to rotate in said recess, said dial havin peripheral worm gear teeth, a bearing lock pivoted to the disk and having a worm drive 'ournaled therein, a coil spring housed with- 1n the disk substantially at right angles to the worm drive and normally urging the worm drive into enga ement with the peripheral teeth of the ial, and a-lever pivoted to the disk and having1 a cam edge engageable upon movement o? the lever with a orjtion of the bearing block to move and ock said worm drive out of engagement with the dial teeth.`

at. In an instrument having a panel and a projecting spindle mounted for rotary adjustment, t ecombination of a disk having a cylindrical recess in its outer face, means for securing the disk to the panel, with-the. spindle roj'ecting centrally therethrough, a dial a apted to be secured to the spindle to rotate in said recess, said dial having peripheral worm gear teeth, a bearing block ook 4 pivotally mounted within the rim of said disk, a worm drive journaled in the block, a' coiled spring housed within the disk substantially at rilght-angles to the worm drive h and normally olding the latter in en agement wtih the dial teeth, said bearing lock having a laterally projecting pin, and a lever having a cam ed e engageable with the pin to move and loc said worm drive out of engagement with the dial teeth. .I

.5. In an instrument having a panel and a v projecting spindle mounted for rotary addial, means for securing the dial to the spin- 15 dle to rotate adjacent to said disk, said'dial aving peripheral worm gear teeth, a worm drive normally held in engagement with the peripheral teeth of the dial, and a cam plate pivoted to the disk on an axis parallel to 20 the spindle and movable to disconnect the worm drive from the gear teeth and to lock the same in disengaged position.

1n testimony, that I claim the fore oin as my own, I- have hereto affixed my signa- 25 ture.

HERBERT T. WHALER. 

